November 2014, Sicily - Rock Climbing

San Vito sea cliffs.

We have recently been on a sports climbing holiday to Sicily. The weather was blue skies and warm, mid 20s, for the most. Lots a quality climbing on the North of the Island, we mainly climbed at San Vito sea cliffs and Monte Pellegrino in Palermo. Routes were well bolted and on a good featured limestone, loads to go at 5th and 7th grade, way more in the 6th with fewer in 8th grade. It was also very quiet, only 2 days out of the 6 that we shared the crag with another team. All in all I would recommend Sicily for a climbing trip in November or December and will most probably return in the near future.

San Vito.

San Vito.

San Vito.

Monte Pellegrino.

Mondello, Palermo.

Mount Etna, steaming.

April 2014, Adamello, Val di Mello, Chaivenna, Arco, Italy - Ski Touring and Rock Climbing

 We have had a great 3 weeks in Italy enjoying some Ski Touring and Sports Climbing. Started off with a 4 day tour in the Adamello range, managing 3 peaks over 3000m over the 4 days. The snow wasn't classic but it was good fun. A week in Arco enjoying some dry(ish) rock, coffee and pizza! It was busy this time of year, plenty of Germans and Italians, plenty of crags and lots of impressive big cliffs in the Sarcha valley. Managed to get a couple of days climbing in the Val di Mello - awesome granite climbing, many bolted lines on the giant boulders near the road plus plenty of multi pitch epics to be had. We also did some climbing at Chiavenna and Lecco before the drive from hell back to sunny North Wales for the summer.

Refuge Caduti dell'Adamello.

Val di Mello.

Val di Mello.

Val di Mello.

Classy Arco view.

Arco Salamander.

22-10-13, Kalymnos, Greece - Sport Climbing

Styx crag lower off.

 A brilliant 10 days on Kalymnos. Most excellent sun rock experience. Beautiful island, amazing rock tonnes of routes, vertical grey walls, overhanging yellow tufa caves. Scooter action good fun.

Telendos Island.

Ghost Kitchen.

Arginonta.

Quiet bay, looking towards Turkey.

Vathy, valley oasis.

May 2013, Finale, Italy - Sport Climbing

Sun and shade, sharp pockets, well bolted, stunning location...

 First week of May we have been rock climbing in Finale Ligure. Brilliant sport climbing in a fantastic setting. Crags dotted over the steep tree covered hillsides and valleys, great rock, sharp, steep, pockety, slightly savage grades!

Stunning location, if you can find the crag your after!

October 2012, Antalya, Turkey - Rock Climbing

Geyikbayiri -  at least 2 minutes walk from the campsite!

Alabalik, Geyikbayiri.

 I have been in Turkey for 12 days, rock climbing in Antalya. A great trip with loads of good quality, un-polished, sharp limestone. It was a great base for a hot rock sport climbing trip. The camp site is situated in the middle of the crags, you can walk for 2 minutes to get to them or 15 if you want to push the boat out! It has only been climbed on since 2000 so there is still loads of potential for new routes, I expect the guide book will be double the size in 5 years or so. The rock is un-polished and sharp, and it has been well bolted. Plenty of variety, something for everyone grade 5-8s, vertical walls, plenty of steep walls, upside down stuff, tufas and caves. It was too hot to climb in the midday sun at first - 35 degrees, but we also had some rain. We climbed everyday, there are plenty of caves to hang out in, with reasonable routes which extend into upside down harder things! Olympos was a great day out by the sea, with a slightly different style of vertical, steep crimpy climbing. I will definitely go back one day.

Very good quality routes Geyikbayiri.

Olympos, more excellent quality rock, slightly more vertical / steep than upside down. Good crimps and crozzly pockets.

Plenty of caves in Geyikbayiri to hide from the sun or rain.

Exotic critter, Praying Mantis.

03-03-12, Creag Bheag - Rock Climbing

The last few days have been very similar weather wise, warm conditions but dry at least in the Cairngorms. On the last 3 days of the winter skills course we bagged a few more Munros and consolidated skills learnt earlier in the week. We also looked at use of the rope and how to build good snow anchors, when venturing into steeper graded ground.

Today Kath and I went sport climbing at a recently bolted conglomerate crag called The Mound about 1 hour NE of Inverness on the Caithness coast. This is a very nice friendly crag, lots of 5s and 6s, with numerous juggy holes and stones. It faces SE and has a very quiet feel overlooking the river Fleet, only 10 minutes from the road and good quality conglomerate rock with little seepage. Worth seeking out if your in the area and fancy a chilled day.

06-10-11, UK Rock Climbing

 I have been climbing for myslef the last couple of weeks, enjoying all the variety that British cragging has to offer. During the hot spell last week, Steve and myslelf drove down south to climb on the exciting trad sea cliffs at Swanage and for some sporty portalnd action. Afew days climbing at Boulder Ruckle (photo above) with all its roofs and suspect rock, bolt clipping in Portland makes a great combination. On the way down and back up to wales we also climbed in Avon Gorge, and at Wintours Leap - quite a limestone heavy week! Back in Wales I have had a day at Helsby - a good quality sandstone crag above the M56 near Chester and back for some more bolt clipping on Clwyd limestone near Llangollen. A quick day trip to the Peak to get some finger, hand and arm jamming practice at Milstone Edge yesterday. Hopefully good preparation for a trip to USA at the weekend for a few months!

 Steve, enjoying a rare face pitch at swanage vertical but no roof, Yellow Wall!

 Swanage Falcon.

 Fly Wall, Wintours Leap.

Suttie cruising - Regents Street, Millstone.